Pavel Nazdra, an activist of the REP independent trade union’s office in Mazyr, has received threats of dismissal after his employer learned that the activist was elected leader of the Trade Union’s group in April 2013.

“They started to discriminate me at work, but there were no reason for dismissal, because I am an experienced and qualified employee, I have been working in the housing department for more than four years already, and there have been no complaints about the quality of my work,” said the activist.

According to him, when he was on vacation in July 2013, he got a call from work and told that he would soon be fired for breaking labor discipline. However, they could not explain the reasons. When he resumed work, he was ordered to write an explanatory note. It turned out that he was accused of performing a paid consumer service and stealing 40,000 rubles. But he claims he knows nothing about the service.

“Then I wrote an explanatory note and the lawyers did not find any legal grounds for my dismissal. But in August 2013, my boss accused me of stealing a Bosch screw gun and threatened to file a complaint with the police. But he sent no statement, as he realized the absurdity of these charges,” says Pavel Nazdra.

According to Pavel, in November he was asked to report on the fact that he explained the procedure for providing housing services to residents. “I refused to write an explanation, and the head of the housing department warned me that he was just looking for an excuse to fire me,” said the activist.

The trade union activist fears that his employment contract may not be extended, as there are no other legitimate reasons to fire him.